Life in the City of the Arts
The sound of heels clicking on uneven cobblestone streets, the warmth of a fresh pastry in the palm of your hands, and the bittersweet smell of a fresh cup of espresso can easily sum up the average outsider’s perspective of daily life in Italy. What most don’t notice, however, is that every city and region in this beautiful country comes with its own distinct and unique qualities that one must become accustomed to while residing there. The locals in Firenze take ample pride in their city, though it does have some serious downfalls. I am privileged enough to have been living in Firenze, a historically rich city in Toscana, for about three months now. I’d be lying if I said I don’t discover something new and interesting about this city’s culture everyday, while also noticing more and more of the adversity that the citizens face.
What draws most tourists and visitors in to this small yet magical city is the abundance of art. Inside countless museums and other buildings, including my apartment, the ceilings and walls are covered in vibrant frescoes depicting anything from simple angels to detailed, descriptive biblical stories. While walking down the streets, one is bound to pass numerous famous palaces constructed with incredible architecture featuring columns, arches, and spacious courtyards. These palaces include beauties such as the Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti name just a few. Around every corner, each piazza presents a different aspect of the culture and copies, if not originals, of honored sculptures crafted by many of the world’s finest artists such as Michelangelo or Botticelli. The mass concentration of various works and forms of art located within these city walls give many people the notion to deem Firenze as “The City of the Arts”, and it is more than qualified to take on this nickname. Not only is it considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, but it also contains the highest density of art within such a small space especially when compared to other Italian cities such as Rome. The city of Firenze is only a mere 102 square kilometers, making it an easy and walkable city. Often, the local Fiorentini who have been surrounded by this city’s beauty admit its greatness and continue to appreciate it more with each passing day.
Within the city, there are countless hidden gems to discover in many different areas of the city. For example, Piazza di Santo Spirito is a local favorite. It’s a lot smaller than Piazza della Repubblica and not quite as crowded with tourists. Entering the piazza from the south side, you are set face-to-face with a gorgeous hexagonal fountain with many bright goldfish swimming around inside. More often than not, the walls of the fountain are filled with people sitting enjoying their drinks, cigarettes, and the company of their friends. The piazza is lined with various bars, pubs, and restaurants, such as Volume, Cafè Ricchi, and Gusta Panino. Each establishment is usually filled to capacity on Friday and Saturday nights, with more customers leaking outside with their drinks in plastic cups for take-away enjoyment. On the opposite side of the piazza, a handful of dirty and worn down stairs line the perimeter of a church with a plain facade and a small circle of stained glass towards the top. These stairs that were once used as a beautiful accessory to the appearance of the church are now used to accommodate the masses of Italians enjoying their night out. Piazza di Santo Spirito is definitely a place that is worthwhile to visit and meet local Fiorentini.
As much fun and entertainment lies within the city center, locals of course need to find a breath of fresh air every once in awhile. Many Fiorentini venture out into the various small towns or “paesini” that lay just a few kilometers outside the border of Firenze, such as Galluzzo, Bagno A Ripoli, and Fiesole. It seems as the crowd favorite is Fiesole, a small town located on top of a hill just outside the city. Fiesole offers breathtaking panoramic views of Florence as well as the countryside and it is only a two euro bus ticket away from the city center. In addition, the town is quiet and quaint, giving Italians the ability to hear themselves think and providing a great contrast to the loud busy city. One of the most popular activities in Fiesole to walk up to San Domenico Fiesole, one of the iconic spots to get that perfect photo of Firenze from afar or just admire the city in all its glory. Yes, it is definitely a bit of a hike, but well worth it. In addition, this quiet little town is missing the one thing that most Fiorentini have grown annoyed which is the masses of tourists and students. Instead, these streets are filled with locals accompanied by their various family owned shops, specializing in products ranging from jams and homemade pastas to handmade clothing. Fiesole is also home to several historic ruins such as ancient bath houses and ancient temples. A day trip to Fiesole is the perfect day of relaxation for the locals trying to escape the city for a while.
For many locals, the amount of foreign students within Firenze can often grow to become a nuisance. The city center houses more than thirty universities, all within a few blocks of one another. In particular, there is an abundance of American students. One of the most iconic and stereotypical mistakes that many American students make while abroad is handling alcohol incorrectly. Since the legal age of drinking in America is 21 and most abroad students range from ages 18–20, they often take their newfound freedom out of proportions. Oftentimes Italians understand that in the USA alcohol is seen in a different light than in Italy, but wish that students would learn to realize their limits. Unfortunately, not only is it common for American students generally drink a little too much, but that they also travel in larger groups between ten to twenty people. This is usually seen as bizarre to Italians since going out in groups quite that large is an infrequent habit for them. Luckily, the future looks bright concerning issues with American students as the directors of many universities have been implying stricter rules while also explaining to the students why these behaviors are a problem.
Lastly, Firenze can also be characterized by its unwieldy traffic and wild driving. Commonly found all throughout Italy there is questionable driving, but somehow it can feel escalated in this particular city. It’s typical to see car after car cut one another off, blinkers forgotten, and all the lanes merged into one jumbled mess of confused, angry drivers. On top of all the chaos, most motorists insist on weaving their way in and out of the already jumbled traffic. In particular, towards the Santa Maria Novella train station there is a rodary that is commonplace for bumper-to-bumper cars and buses. The yield signs and stop signs are for some reason seen as mere suggestions, especially to the bus drivers. Most of the buses seem to feel as though they have a certain seniority over the other drivers, while the other drivers disagree. In addition, many narrow streets that rarely seem to have adequate parking, countless tourists walking in the middle of the roads and people on bikes weaving through tend to also cause a bit more traffic within the city. Hence, walking is almost always the best option when trying to navigate through Firenze.
In the end, Firenze is one of the many unique cities within Italy. Of course, living here is vastly different than just visiting, so I recommend spending an extended amount of time exploring if you ever have the opportunity. Around every corner there is something new to see and discover, along with new people to meet and learn from. The culture within this city alone is different from any others I have visited. Firenze holds a special place in my heart as I have seen myself become a part of this city. Between the abundance of art, the beautiful surrounding “paesini”, the large population of students, and the insane traffic, there is no other city quite as unique as this one. With so much to do and see anyone can have a successful time in Firenze, whether just visiting for a week or coming to live and work here for an extended amount of time, if not for life.
